Identity Theft
by Houddy
Summary: This is a one shot, based on a challege from a while back. It is based on the TV show more than the books. If you haven't guessed, I'm bored, and decided to start downloading some of my old stories here. I've become hopelessly addicted to feedback. :


14 May, 2007

**THE DRESDEN FILES: IDENTITY THEFT**

There's one thing that sets each of us apart. It's who we are, our identity. Well, look around you, because it might not be as safe as you think.

I was at a party, I know, I don't go to these things usually, but it was at Bianca's, and I was on a case. It was a pretty dull event, but there was an open bar, and food was plentiful and well, a man who can't pay his rent can't be picky about where his next meal comes from.

"Hi Dresden, so good of you to come," Bianca purred. I winced slightly at her touch. I was one of the few who had seen what lurked behind that beautiful exterior.

"I'd say I'm glad to be here, but my father told me it wasn't nice to lie."

She laughed. "There's someone here I think you should meet." I thought she would then introduce me to one of her minions, or to someone who wanted to kill me, not that there was a difference, but she didn't. She just smiled and walked away.

I followed her before realizing that she wasn't leading me anywhere, so I went to the bar and ordered another Coke. I really wanted a beer, but in this crowd, it was best to keep my head as clear as possible.

There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned slowly; you never knew what could tap you on the shoulder at one of Bianca's little parties. I nearly fell over. It was worse than I imagined. A pair of dark eyes looked back at me. They were hooded by think, dark brows and framed in a well chiseled, slightly scruffy face. It was a striking face really. It was my face…almost. It lacked the character and charm of my face, but all the bits were in just the right places. "Hello?" I said tentatively.

"Hello," he replied more assuredly, but with the same tone of voice I had heard all of my adult life.

"I'm Harry Dresden." I couldn't wait to hear his reply to that one.

"So am I." He narrowed his eyes at me.

"No, really, Bianca put you up to this?" I looked around the room. No one was laughing.

Surprisingly, nothing like this had ever happened to me before. Sure, I'd woken up in a strange house being called by a strange name by a woman I didn't remember, and sure I'd seen monsters walking around in other people's skin, but I'd never come face to face with…me.

"Well, Harry Dresden," the other me said my name with such contempt I wondered for a moment if maybe I was the one who was confused, "it looks like we've got a lot in common."

I hate cheeky demon/monster/sorcerer/whatever's. My fingers wrapped tightly around the rod shoved down my pant leg. "I don't know what you are, or why you came dressed as me, but there can only be one Harry Dresden, and I've got dibs."

"What do you intend to do about it?" He was cool, confident, and starting to be a real pain in my ass. If I were a more self aware type person I might have wondered if this was what I was really like, but there wasn't time for self reflection, so I just assumed I was much better than this cheap knock off.

"I intend on sending you back where you came from." I sounded more confident than I was. It was a little something I learned after getting my ass kicked by more than a handful of nasties.

He laughed. Ugh! That was annoying. "And where do you think that is, Harry?" He spat the name at me.

"I don't know, but let's find out, shall we?" I started to focus all my energy toward the rod, pushing my will into it as hard as I could.

"Why do you assume that you are the real Dresden?" he replied with controlled anger.

Wait a minute. He's the one who stole my face.

"That's it!" I pulled out my rod and held it at the ready. "I think one Harry Dresden is enough for any world."

"I agree," he replied, pulling out a rod identical to mine, holding it out to me identically, and allowing me a small glimpse of the shield bracelet dangling from his wrist.

It was the exact same as the one I had. It had been my mothers, one of a kind. How the hell did this loser get one? "Where'd you get that?" I waved my rod quickly at the bracelet.

"My father gave it to me when I was a boy. It was my mothers." Crap, he knew an awful lot about me.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I told you, I'm Harry Dresden."

"No, you're not."

"Prove it." That smile again. Have you ever wanted to punch yourself in the face? It's an odd feeling, even if it's not really your face.

"I don't have to prove it." I let all my anger flow through me like hot cocoa on a cold day. It warmed my body as it rushed through it to the tip of my rod and out the end in a burst of flame. That's when it all fell to shit.

Bianca's place burst into violence. Vampires were not known for being great spectators. They much preferred to participate in death and destruction. Me and Harry were locked in a battle. His rod burst forth a flame equal to mine. Every move I made he made at the same time. Every time I zigged he zigged. He was supposed to zag, but he zigged. Amateur!

I suddenly realized the only way to win was to do what I wouldn't do. I threw my rod to the ground and gave up. I prepared to die. The world could only handle one Harry Dresden, and I guessed that it wasn't me. I was really hoping he would follow suit and drop his rod, but he didn't. He didn't have to, actually.

Bianca flew across the room and laid into the side of other Harry's neck. I watched in horror as she sucked on my…his neck.

I probably should have run at that point, saved myself, that sort of thing. Instead I watched in horror, like one of those out of body nightmares. When she finally released him, half alive, half way to an eternity in hell, she looked up at me and smiled. "Now you'll be mine forever Harry." That's when I ran, as fast as I could.

As I ran, I could hear her saying my name, cooing to the other me sweetly. I had always known Bianca wanted me for her army of the damned, but I had no idea to what lengths she would go to possess me.

A chill rushed through my body. There was no way I was sleeping tonight.

3


End file.
